Pirate's Gold - S.J. Sanders Page 0,50

existence so they never threaten our people again. But they have turned on us.”

The male swiped a hand over his face again as the screen showed schematics demonstrating how the symbiont would join with its host.

“I do not know if my creations will be successful, but I am uploading all my data in case we fail. The gymotakin symbiotic armor… I do not have time to accurately test it. These things cannot be brought down by blasters. The creatures metabolize energy blasts. I think I have calculated correctly. At least I hope so… I—What is that?”

He turned, his eyes scanning the room behind him. Solemnly, he turned back to the recorder.

“If we do not resolve this situation, I fear it will be the end of the Evandra, and anyone who finds her. I pray to the gods that, if we fail, no one ever discovers our location.”

The scientist gasped as the room shook around him, and the recording cut out. Though there was nothing to suggest what had happened, Veral systems pricked with alarm. Whatever had been loose on the Evandra had brought the ship down and killed the crew.

Staring at the black screen, a sense of apprehension filled him as he downloaded the content from the recorder. The files were badly fragmented in places, but the bits that he was able to recover provided a glimpse into the research that had been underway, as well as information on the gymotakin symbionts.

The symbiotic armor was fascinating, but the plans for the bio-tech experiment that the scientist had been working on made him still in horror at the unnatural utilization of the tech. It wasn’t augmentations, like the Argurma focused on. No, it was an entirely bio-engineered creature made of bio-metal, with a heightened predatory AI designed to search and destroy its targets like an unnatural creation of night terrors.

It was a monstrosity that never should have existed.

That the AI likely malfunctioned and sent the creatures on a killing spree through the ship made any salvage of the Evandra untenable. Suddenly, finding the resting place of the ship was the last thing Veral wanted to do, but there was only so long he could delay the captain. Egbor was vain, but he was not a fool. He would notice if they were not drawing any closer to the wreckage on the schematic.

He hissed angrily. If he could not convince the captain, he had no choice but to take his mate to the Evandra and hope that Kaylar arrived before anything else noticed their arrival.

“Kaylar, increase your rate of speed.”

“As you know, increasing speed beyond safety limits is highly dangerous and not…”

Veral snarled impatiently and transmitted his visual recording and the downloaded files. Silence fell as he waited for Kaylar to open the files.

“Data received. I will be there in sixty-five standard galactic hours.”

Nearly three standard rotations early. It would have to suffice.

17

Terri stirred, her brow furrowing. It couldn’t be time to wake up already. Something was tickling her nose. She groaned and swiped her hand at her face to brush whatever it was away. It moved away, and she grumbled unhappily. She hated when Azan messed with her while she was sleeping.

Something touched the bridge of her nose again.

“Azan knock it off, already,” she mumbled, slapping at whatever the pirate was tormenting her with.

It moved, and a weight landed on her head. What the…? Her eyes opened, and she squinted at her hand in the dark. A soft green glow illuminated her hand, and her breath stuttered in panic as it scurried up her wrist.

No, no… No!

With a shriek, Terri jerked up, stumbling to her feet as she whipped her arm around, trying to dislodge it as it scurried beneath the opening in her armor at the wrist. A hair-raising scream left her, her fingers digging at her sleeve, attempting to push it back out from beneath it.

It’s not working!

Her breath came out in ragged pants as terror coursed through her. Giving up on trying to push it out, she slammed her wrist against the wall, hoping that would crush it.

She could hear Veral’s panicked roar, but it sounded faint, distant. The sound that was more immediate was the one that came from the pirates leaping up, shouting out in alarm, pistols and blades drawn as they looked around for a sign of danger. She ignored them all as she cried and slammed her hand repeatedly on the wall.

Terri didn’t care if everyone saw her blubbering like a baby. She was